Dear Harriet, Age Three

 

 

Dear Harriet, My Three Year Old,

Man, has this been a year?  You started school, you really started talking, you grew and changed and became a little girl.  You have figured out how to fight back – fight back against Alma when she tries to get too older sibling on you, fight back against us when we tell you that you can’t have hot cococo all day everyday, you fight back against injustices on the playground.  People always tell me they’re impressed with your fortitude.  You don’t let people push you around.  You are strong and brave, little one.

 

You are scrappy, and I love that about you.  We are both second-borns, so you and I, kid, understand what it’s like to live that way.  We understand that sometimes it’s important to bug your older sibling until they fight back, then to go running to your parent so the sibling gets in trouble.  But, kid, you need to understand that I see right through it when you do it.  I see right through it, but I still love it because I get you.  I feel you.  All I have to say about it is: sorry Alma (and sorry Dan).

 

But you are also very dear.  One of the things you say all the time these days is, “Excuse me mommy (or Grams, daddy, Papa, Nana, Grandpa, Grammy… whomever).  I wuv you.”  It’s always a surprise because I always assume that you’re going to be asking for more hot cococo, then you turn everything upside-down with your sweetness.  You can tell me that you wuv me all day everyday, that’s fine with me.

 

When you’re into something, you’ll spend so much time with it.  When we went camping, you were all about building the fairy village.  At the playground with your friends, you’ve been known to build very cool towers out of pine cones and sticks, or to fill up a hollow tree with rotten apples (side-note:  rotten apples are your favorite things.  When we tell you to think of something happy, you think about rotten apples) – all the while directing your friends and making sure they’re doing it right.  You’re a leader and creative and I think that’s really cool.

 

Here’s my promise to you this year:  I will cherish you.  I will be gentle with you.  I will be kind to you.  I will love you and I will tell you so everyday.  I will hold you.  I will let you grow.  I will laugh with you.  I will cry with you.  I will cherish you.

All my love,

Mommy